Quick Dram : Noh Karuizawa Single cask – 1977 – Cask # 4592

One of those names that makes every whisky geek drool…. like song to ones ears. I have long wanted to try one of those, and since those babies are not cheap and also hard to get , I was able to try one just recently. and all thanks to those cool guys at master of malt.

A few weeks ago the guys at Master of Malt offered bloggers a wee sample (or a few – i got only one) , to try and review.No strings attached,just a mention and a link to their site. They were kind enough to let me choose a sample i was longing for, and I immediately chose this one. It was easy.

Now, A full bottle of this baby will set you back some 150 GBP , but as Master of malt offer many dram-size samples , you can obtain this one in a 30ml form for “only” 9 GBP. Much more affordable. I am quite the fan of the dram size samples as you might recall. I even bought some (see my Glenfarclas 40 review posted some months ago) myself, in addition to getting some review samples in the past.

I am told that when this bottle was released and was made available on the MOM site, stocks were out in less than an hour (17 minutes!!!)

Ok, now that all those technicalities are behind us, let’s go on with my first Karuizawa tasting notes (i am wishing for more in the future, of course)…

Colour : Deep Gold (the Mom site describes it as slightly ‘green’ – yet i am not sure i can spot any green …)

Nose: Ooof. That’s some powerful stuff going on here with the 60.7% ABV. It needs time and some water in order for us mere mortals to get through and sniff those magical odours. After some time i am beginning to make sense of all this : Cherries dipped in thick alcoholic syrup. Big Sherry, with a masculine bite to it. Reminds me a little of Mortlach. A bit nutty as well ? And then some marmalade.

Palate: Big,Oily body. Starting with a peppery avalanche of flavours, then we’re off to a treat with some nuts, and cherry notes. In addition some notes of newly ground Tabaco, and hints of chocolate as well. I am also getting wee smoke. Is this real? Complexity. Period. Wow.

Finish : Long, savoury. Nuts, cherries, and that Tabaco.

Bottom line :I am in love. This is one devil of sherry goodness,Complexity and sheer pleasure and joy. With an amazing ABV ,and oodles of oomph. Bring me more!!!!!!

My birthday is coming in a few months’ time. wink wink. say no more.

Score : 92/100

Sincere thanks to the guys over at Master of Malt for the sample, and for allowing us mere mortals to experience amazing drams, in little measures.

[…] many as I’d like to. We tend to remember the recent great casks, and in my case it’s a wee Karuizawa cask #4592 that captured my heart. Why? because it’s brilliant. Have i ever had a bad single cask? well, […]